Control
Tips
Please consider the following tips when using Social Networking sites:
Privacy and security settings exist for a reason: Use privacy and security settings on social networks. They are there to help you control who sees what you post and manage your online experience in a positive way. Children should always use the strictest privacy settings when being online.
Once posted, always posted: Protect your reputation on social networks. What you post online stays online. Think twice before posting pictures you wouldn’t want others to see.
Keep personal information personal: Be cautious about how much personal information you provide on social networking sites. The more information you post, the easier it may be for a hacker or someone else to use that information to steal your identity, access your data or commit other crimes such as stalking.
Know and manage your friends: Social networking sites can be used for a variety of purposes. Ensure that you only accept friend requests from people you know on a personal level. If you are unsure who an individual is, do not accept them as a friend.
Be honest if you’re uncomfortable: If a friend posts something about you that makes you uncomfortable or seems inappropriate, let somebody close to you know and report the post. Likewise, stay open minded if a friend approaches you because something you’ve posted makes him or her uncomfortable. People have different tolerances for how much the world knows about them and you need to respect those differences.
Know what action to take: If someone is harassing or threatening you, remove them from your friends list, block them and report them to the site administrator.
Keep security software current: Having the latest security software, web browser and operating system is the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats.
Own your online presence: When applicable, set the privacy and security settings on websites to your comfort level for information sharing. It’s OK to limit how and with whom you share information.
Make your password strong: A strong passphrase is a sentence that is at least 12 characters long. Focus on positive sentences or phrases that you like to think about and are easy to remember. On many sites, you can even use spaces!
When in doubt, throw it out: Links in email, tweets, posts and online advertising are often how cybercriminals try to steal your personal information. Even if you know the source, if something looks suspicious, delete it.
Post only about others as you have them post about you. The Golden Rule applies online as well.
Limit the amount of time that children use on social media. Talk about concerns and agree rules so they do not spend too much time ‘online’.
Age Restrictions
Facebook - Safety Poster
Instagram - Safety Poster
Snapchat - Safety Poster
YouTube - Safety Poster
Twitter - Safety Poster
WhatsApp - Safety Poster
Tik Tok - Safety Poster
Friends and Followers
Trolling and Online Abuse
What is Trolling?
Trolling is a form of cyberaggression. It involves the sending of malicious, abusive or derogatory messages by one user (a ‘troll’) to another user online with the intention of upsetting or harassing them or damaging their reputation. It is often anonymous and does not meet the definition of bullying, yet might develop into online bullying. Trolls will often goad others until they react. They enjoy putting people down and causing discord, starting arguments or being inflammatory – stirring things up for their own entertainment. Trolling may take the form of a one-off offensive comment, hate speech or even threats made online.
10 tips to keep children safe online
Social Media Safety Tips
Top Tips for Kids and Teens Using Social Networking Sites Online
Five Top Tips
The following guidance is provided by each of the major social media platforms.
Facebook: basic privacy settings and tools (external link opens in a new window / tab)
Twitter: how to protect and unprotect your Tweets (external link opens in a new window / tab)
YouTube: privacy and safety (external link opens in a new window / tab)
Instagram: privacy settings and information (external link opens in a new window / tab)
LinkedIn: account and privacy settings overview (external link opens in a new window / tab)
Snapchat: privacy settings (external link opens in a new window / tab)
TikTok: privacy and safety( external link opens in a new window / tab)